We went to a truly spectacular dinner put on by Feastly and Farmhand’s Chef Erin featuring fresh produce from our farm.  What a meal, everything was incredibly delicious.  But for me the Mashed Fava Bean starter (or as Erin called them Million Hour Favas) was simply outstanding.  I know, favas are a lot of work, but so worth the effort.  Bring the family together and the work is done in minutes.  Erin did a simple mash with an oregano pesto and good drizzling of olive oil.  I really couldn’t stop eating, even cleaned the bowl and serving spoon!  I don’t have the exact recipe but this is probably a close approximation.

Favas, shucked, simmered long enough to make it easy to remove the tough skin
1 small clove Garlic, finely minced
Lemon Zest and maybe some Lemon Juice
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

You can top this with a basil pesto, she made a simple pesto using oregano which was really lovely.
Once the favas are prepared, put them into a pot and just cover with water.  Simmer on low until they are tender.  Drain the water, but hold on to it.  In a bowl add the cooked favas, the minced garlic, salt and pepper, some tasty olive oil and mash with a potato masher.  Adjust seasoning and top with just a little pesto.  Serve on good bread that has been pan toasted with olive oil.